Dunning talks COVID recovery, prep for 2021

Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning had a personal run-in with COVID-19 back in December while in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., over the Christmas holiday, he told reporters in a Zoom press conference Monday.

Dunning -- promoting his #StreamtoEndMS charity event -- recounted his experience with the virus. He said he mostly stayed home with his family during the visit, except for one day when he was fitted for a suit and ultimately tested positive. He did have symptoms, including a fever, cough and loss of smell, but those lasted only three days of his 14-day quarantine.

Dunning, 26, said he’s having no lingering issues with the virus and the EKG echo test of his heart showed his cardiac system was in good shape.

“It was a minor setback, but then it’s better to have this minor setback in the offseason,” Dunning said. “Because in season, it’s two weeks in quarantine then you have to rebuild back up, and then it’s like a month before you get back into playing baseball."

Dunning has been in Arizona preparing for Spring Training since mid-January, right after he got out of quarantine, and hasn’t tested positive since. He’s been working out at the Rangers’ facility in Surprise, getting tested twice a week per COVID-19 protocols.

Dunning said it was in his best interest to get to Arizona as early as possible so he could meet some of his teammates and throw as many bullpens as he could before camp starts.

The right-hander is the Rangers’ top-ranked pitching prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He has spent a lot of his time in Arizona throwing bullpens with catching prospect Sam Huff, who has been working out at the facility as well, with both hoping to build up and prepare for a full 162-game season. Dunning made his Major League debut with the White Sox in 2020, making seven starts with a 3.97 ERA in 34 innings.

“I’m coming up on 10 bullpens now,” Dunning said. “I tried to really build up for this year that way, especially coming off Tommy John [surgery in March 2019], and then the shortened season. I wanted to make sure that my body is fully prepared and ready for this.”

Dunning, who was acquired in the Lance Lynn trade on Dec. 8, said playing in Texas doesn’t change his mentality going into Spring Training. He said the coaching staff has indicated to him where he will slot in the rotation, but that doesn’t change his mindset.

“I’m trying to win a spot, I’m trying to win a role and trying to create it myself, put myself in a position where I’m able to play every day, or at least pitch every five days in the big leagues,” Dunning said.

He also detailed a recent charity endeavor of his -- the #StreamtoEndMS event benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, where his fiancée, Rachel, works.

Rachel organizes annual bikes races and other charitable events, so Dunning wanted to do something similar. He came up with the idea to stream one of his favorite video games, Rocket League, and raise money to end multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that disrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body.